Progressive display card

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a novelty item which may be used as an active greeting card or a promotional advertising display device. The card itself contains a number of display leafs which are progressively “turned” by pulling a pull tab in the card base. The pages may have a “pop-up” action device mounted between each pair of leafs to give a 3-D effect as the leafs are progressively turned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] Psychologists have long been aware that human beings are keenly sensitive to moving objects and this phenomenon has been exploited by the advertising industry to gain the attention of a potential client.

[0002] The display card industry has utilized “pop-up” figures with associated messages to captivate the attention of casual observers and gain the observer's interest in the message relating to the goods or services being purveyed. The motion displayed by the device plus the creation of a three-dimensional display presents an attraction which is difficult to ignore.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] This invention covers an active display device which takes the form of a “book” having multiple “pages” or leaves which may be induced to “turn” in a programmed sequence by means of a pull tab. In the invention described herein the pages are progressively turned or “popped up” in a prescribed sequence by manipulating a pull out tab which is conveniently located in the base of the “book”. The “pages” may be made of fairly stiff paper board, which tend to resist bending so that when the pull tab is manipulated each “page” is turned separately and individually in sequence without really bending the page. The “pages” are all hingedly attached to a key strip which is motivated by the pull tab so that each “page” has its own separate attachment to the key strip between a pair of hinge points so that only that particular “page” turns when the pull tab is pulled to a particular position. Manipulation of the pull tab causes a “rolling” action of the key strip to occur so that as the key strip “rolls” the pages attached to the key strip progressively turn over.

[0004] The “pages” may have a three dimensional “pop up” insert hingedly connected to adjacent pages to provide additional animation to the active display device as the pages progressively turn.

PRIOR ART U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,133 Issued Nov. 9, 1993

[0005] This patent discloses a pop up display wherein a pull tab is used to cause a sliding element in the display device to initiate the erection of a single pop up element in the device.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,689 Issued May 5, 1998

[0006] This patent discloses a one piece pop up device where two elements of the device slide against one another in such a manner that a third element is raised from the plane of the first two elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007]FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the device of this invention;

[0008]FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the base portion of the device of FIG. 1;

[0009]FIG. 3 shows the device of FIG. 1 in which the folding element is included in this figure;

[0010]FIG. 4 shows the device of FIG. 1 being manipulated to partially erect the device;

[0011]FIG. 5 is a side view of the device of FIG. 1 in its unerected position;

[0012]FIG. 6 shows the device of FIG. 1 in a partially erected stance;

[0013]FIG. 7 shows the progressive erection of the device of FIG. 1;

[0014]FIG. 8 is a further advancement of the progressive erection of the device of FIG. 1;

[0015]FIGS. 9 and 10 continue to show the erection of progressive leaves of the device of FIG. 1;

[0016]FIG. 11 is an illustration of the device of this invention used as a sequencing device;

[0017]FIG. 12 shows the device of this invention having a “pop up” intermediate element fixed to two adjacent leaves.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0018] Referring to FIG. 1 a progressive display device 10 is shown having a base 12, a finger recess 14, a cover 16 and a slide 18. This figure shows the device in its “closed” or inactivated state with the slide or pull strip 18 fully retracted into base 12. The base 12 is made of stock sufficiently thick to prevent bending. The cover 16 is of lesser thickness than base 12. “Leaves” or “pages” 20 are sandwiched between cover 16 and base 12.

[0019]FIG. 2 shows the base 12 of the display device 10 with the leaves 20 omitted completely. Key strip 40 is shown only partially for the sake of clarity, but is secured to base 12 at the end of base 12 as shown in FIG. 2.

[0020] The base 12 is provided with a rectangular recess 22 defined by edges 24, 25, 26, and 27 in which slide 18 is received. Recess 22 is located slightly below the upper surface of base 12. Slider 18 is also provided with ears 28 and 30 which are captured in slots 32 and 34 located beneath the surface of base 12.

[0021] Slide 18 is shown having a “key” sheet tongue 36 (partially shown) attached to the upper surface of slide 18 at end 38. The tongue 36 limits the travel of slider 18 to the distance between edges 24 and 26. The tongue 36 is part of the,“key” strip 40 shown more completely in FIGS. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 9, 10 and 11. Tongue 36 is of such thickness that the top surface of tongue 36 is flush with or slightly above the upper surface of base 12. Key strip 40 is therefore attached to slider 18 by means of tongue 36; the other end of key strip 40 is fixedly attached to base 12 at the end of base 12 adjacent recess 14.

[0022] Slider 18 is thus manually movable in a translatory fashion between edges 24 and 26. This motion is limited by both the length of slots 32 and 34 in base 12 or by the tongue 36 engaging edges 24 and 26 of recess 22.

[0023] As slider 18 is moved in base 12, the tongue 36 is pulled or pushed back and forth by the slider 18 between the edges 24 and 26.

[0024] Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4 it will be seen how the folding mechanism functions.

[0025] Tongue 36 as shown forms an attachment for the key strip 40 to slider 18. Strip 40 is-the basis of a folding hinge mechanism that “rolls” back and forth as slider 18 is pulled or pushed. This folding action causes the cover 16 and leaves 42, 44, 46, 48 to progressively turn over as the slider 18 is moved between its extreme positions. Key strip 40 is provided with score lines 50, 52, 54, 56, 58 and 60 to promote the progressive hinging of the strip 40 at these locations. Leaves 42-48 are attached to key strip 40 at the “flats” 53, 55, 57 and 59 existing between scorelines 452, 54, 58 and 60 respectively. Cover 16 is attached to flat 51 at key strip 40.

[0026]FIGS. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 show the progressive rolling hinge action performed by key strip 40 as slider 18 is progressively moved from its “home” position in FIG. 1 to the left.

[0027]FIG. 5 shows the display device at “rest” where cover 16 and leaves 42, 44, 46 and 48 are all lying in a flat stacked position on key strip 40 and base 12.

[0028] In FIG. 6, slider 18 has been moved slightly to the left carrying the attached tongue 36 with it. The leftward movement of slider 18 causes the key strip 40 to buckle at score line 52 due to the compressive force exerted on key strip 40 by the leftward movement of slider 18. This causes the cover 16 to be raised slightly. As scoreline 52 buckles upwardly the cover leaf 16 rotates to the position shown in FIG. 6 (about 20° from its rest position). The key strip 40 buckles at hinge or scoreline 52 first because cover 16 is the only single leaf in the pile available to twist. The balance of the leaves 42, 44, 46 and 48 are prevented from twisting because they are stacked one upon the other so that they are prevented from any rotation.

[0029] As the slider continues its motion in the leftward direction, as shown in FIG. 7, the key strip 40 continues to deform at scorelines 50 and 52, with the scoreline 50 now subtending an angle of about 135° (between tongue 36 and the first flat 51 of key strip 40). The angle of the fold at scoreline 52 has rotated from an angle of 180° in FIG. 5 to about 60° in FIG. 7, and cover leaf 16 has now rotated through an angle of about 135° from that shown in FIG. 6. Note that at this position, the bend at scoreline 52 is at its maximum.

[0030] Moving on to FIG. 8, the cover sheet 16 has now completed its 1800 angle of rotation from FIG. 6, and now lies flat on base 12. Leaf is 42 is shown in a vertical position and the angle formed by key strip 40 at scoreline 54 is now 90°. The angle at scoreline 52 is now 90° as well.

[0031]FIG. 9 shows the progression of the rolling action of key strip 40 to the point where leaf 42 is now almost horizontal (having rotated through almost 180°) and leaf 44 is now vertical. Note that while key strip 40 “rolls” and the leaves 16, 42, 44, 46, 48 are in the process of turning, the leaves which have completed turning lie flat on base 12 and now slide to the left along base 12 as they are pulled leftward by slider 18.

[0032]FIG. 10 shows the situation with the last leaf 48 approaching its final destination. At this point the key strip 40 will have seen each scoreline 52, 54, 56, 58 and 60 bend through an angle of about 135° and then unbend through the same 135° angle as each leaf completes its rotation of 180°.

[0033]FIG. 11 shows an illustration of how the display device 10 may be used to show a progressively changing display. As slider 18 is manipulated the cover 16 and leaves 42, 44, 46, 48 and 50 show a changing scene.

[0034]FIG. 12 shows the display 10 with a; “pop up” element 70 mounted between leaves 44 and 46. As leaves 44 and 46 open, member 70 swings upwardly attracting additional attention. As leaves 44 and 46 close, the element 70 swings back down to its original position.

[0035] The success of this-invention lies in the selection of material for the leaves 42, 44, 45 and 48, and the key strip 40. The key strip 40 must be scored at scorelines 50, 52, 54, 56, 58 and 60 sufficiently to weaken the key strip 40 at these fold lines but not sufficiently to cause the key strip 40 to tear at the fold lines during manipulation.

[0036] The leaves 42, 44, 46 and 48 and cover 16 must be carefully bonded to key strip 40 at each of the associated flats in a very precise manner. It may be necessary to remove some of the material of the leaves and cover 16 at the place of bonding to keep the build up of material at the hinge to a reasonable thickness.

[0037] The hinging action of the various scorelines is interesting scoreline 50 forms the only hinge which rotates through a full 180° during a complete turning process. The balance of the scorelines 52, 54, 56 and 58 all begin at 180° and fold through an angle of about 135° to produce an enclosed angle of about 45° before opening up to 180° again.

[0038] It will be seen that the display device 10 encompasses a moving attraction which is not limited to single representation as the prior art shows. The versatility of the device allows for a wide range of applications, from greeting cards to commercial advertisements and instruction procedures. The key element to the success lies in the folding action of key strip 40 which is capable of undergoing large angular excursions at each score line before returning to the original configuration. 

1. A display device in the form of a book, having a base, a cover, a set of leaves mounted between said base and said cover, a pull strip being mounted in a sliding relationship in a recess within said base, said pull strip being attached to said cover and said leaves by a foldable member such that when: said pull strip being manipulated to slide from a “home” position to an “ultimate” position to cause said foldable member to progressively fold and successively turn over the cover and the set of leaves as in a book.
 2. A display device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pull strip is provided with means to maintain the pull strip within said recess in said base during actuation.
 3. A display device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said foldable member is provided with a tongue for attachment to one end of said pull strip.
 4. A display device as claimed in claim 3 wherein a foldable “pop up” element is mounted between adjacent leaves to unfold and refold during a leaf turning operation.
 5. An active display device comprising, a flat base member, a cover, a set of leaves stacked between said cover and base, a pull strip and a foldable key strip member; said flat base having access means for said pull strip and providing therein for slidably receiving and said pull strip therein, said key strip member being attached to said base member at a first end thereof and to said pull strip at the second end of said key strip, said key strip member having a series of spaced score lines of predetermined number extending across said key strip member near the second end thereof, said leaves of said pit being successively attached to said key strip at areas between said score lines so as to form a stacked set of leaves extending between said base member and cover, one end of said key strip being movable with said pull strip to cause the key strip to progressively bend at each score line of the key strip to cause each of said leaves to progressively turn from a rest position to a position 180° rotated therefrom as the pull strip is pulled from a “home” position to its “ultimate” extending position.
 6. An active display device as claimed in claim 5 where said sliding member is provided with means to maintain the slider within said recess during actuation.
 7. An active display device as claimed in claim 6 wherein said base is formed of a robust material and is very resistant to bending, and said cover and said leaves are made of cardboard of such thickness as to resist bending.
 8. An active display device as claimed in claim 7 wherein a foldable “pop up” element is mounted between adjacent leaves to unfold and “pop up” and subsequently refold during a leaf turning operation. 